I'm a bit split on that, as tbh, there were plenty of drunken idiots at Wembley for a 2.30pm kick off!

TBH I like a drink as much as the next bloke. But I don't often drink before I watch Rugby - although I have been known to imbibe in the Moon Under Water before the GF just to be sociable with other forum members. But normally I don't drink before I watch Rugby because if I've had a drink I've a job sorting out what's going on on the field and it spoils the game for me.I saw plenty of fans of both clubs the worse for wear en route to the ground. After the pitch invasion and the threat of confrontation I'd have thought the prudent thing to do would have been to close the bars, but there was still plenty of ale available. Many people on here will take the line of least resistance and blame Fev but I was at Headingley three years ago and watched Fev beat Oldham, and then Cas beat Widnes. Fev and Cas fans in the same ground with drink available sounds like a recipe for trouble - but I never saw any. So what was different this time? Perhaps it was the inaudible PA system? Or contradictary announcments. All I know is that when the 'Fax came onto the pitch, no one in the South stand knew why they were coming onto the pitch and assumed they wanted either to get the game stopped because 'Fax were losing, or they wanted to cause trouble.

"This is a very wealthy country, money is no object" D. Cameron February 2014

TBH I like a drink as much as the next bloke. But I don't often drink before I watch Rugby - although I have been known to imbibe in the Moon Under Water before the GF just to be sociable with other forum members. But normally I don't drink before I watch Rugby because if I've had a drink I've a job sorting out what's going on on the field and it spoils the game for me.I saw plenty of fans of both clubs the worse for wear en route to the ground. After the pitch invasion and the threat of confrontation I'd have thought the prudent thing to do would have been to close the bars, but there was still plenty of ale available. Many people on here will take the line of least resistance and blame Fev but I was at Headingley three years ago and watched Fev beat Oldham, and then Cas beat Widnes. Fev and Cas fans in the same ground with drink available sounds like a recipe for trouble - but I never saw any. So what was different this time? Perhaps it was the inaudible PA system? Or contradictary announcments. All I know is that when the 'Fax came onto the pitch, no one in the South stand knew why they were coming onto the pitch and assumed they wanted either to get the game stopped because 'Fax were losing, or they wanted to cause trouble.

Ofetn I just don't think it can be explained. I touched on this a few weeks back (possibly after Wembley) that this isn't organised hooliganism from any club, it is a number of individuals who can't handle their drink. All clubs have them, and it could simply be a mix of a few factors all lining up, whether that is a late kick off, cheap beer in pubs round the ground, gloating victorious fans, sore losers, local rivalries etc.

I think this is why it is potentially a difficult issue to sort. Organised hooliganism is possibly easier in that there are tactics to handle it, however with sporadic idiots, it becomes difficult, as it can catch people out.

I think I mentioned it earlier in this thread, I would like to see stewards and police being much stronger in terms of not letting drunk people into grounds and moving them from the surrounding areas. A stronger presence in the ground is also a must.

The move to summer has made it much more pleasant to go out early with family and friends, grab some lunch, a couple of beers and then go into the match. The vast majority handle this fine, a few let us and the game down.

As for the tannoy, I was in the North stand and could hear everything quite clearly. However we were very confused as a repeated recorded evacuation message was instructing all fans to leave the site through the nearest exit. But yet the live announcements were informing us that the west stand only was being evacuated. That wasn't very good at all as we didn't know whether we should stay or leave. Not ideal in an emergency situation.

We were in the south stand and struggled to make out any of the PA announcements. I noticed that the speakers were the old-fashioned megaphone type, rather than more modern box-type. To be honest, if the fire had been in our stand there would have been total confusion due to the inaudibility of the announcements. This is a potentially serious safety issue for this stadium and should be investigated. The initial feeling in the south stand was that there had been a deliberate pitch invasion to stop the game.

With regard to the Halifax fan, I wish him a speedy recovery and trust that the circumstances surrounding this incident are made clear asap.

It's been said before and I agree that the kick off time needs looking at. I know it's difficult with three games being staged but an evening start for the big match gives these lunatics all the time they need to get plastered. I can't remember the last time I saw trouble at a Rovers game and I attend the vast majority of them so it would seem that the big occasion attracts the undesirables who sadly get a kick out of spoiling for trouble through too much booze.

As for the tannoy, I was in the North stand and could hear everything quite clearly. However we were very confused as a repeated recorded evacuation message was instructing all fans to leave the site through the nearest exit. But yet the live announcements were informing us that the west stand only was being evacuated. That wasn't very good at all as we didn't know whether we should stay or leave. Not ideal in an emergency situation.

I hope the young man from Halifax makes full recovery and the perpetrator, if there is one, is dealt with accordingly. It was a great occasion despite the sickening way we gave the game away, and we don't need such idiots spoiling any more of them.

Why are the emergency messages pre-recorded? Isn't there a bloke with a microphone who could issue an appropriate message live? Pre-recorded messages of a general nature (eg. statements about the club's policy on racism or adverts for upcoming games) are fine, but in an emergency, you can't cover every possible eventuality in advance but a bloke with a microphone can issue appropriate messages at the right time.

Why are the emergency messages pre-recorded? Isn't there a bloke with a microphone who could issue an appropriate message live? Pre-recorded messages of a general nature (eg. statements about the club's policy on racism or adverts for upcoming games) are fine, but in an emergency, you can't cover every possible eventuality in advance but a bloke with a microphone can issue appropriate messages at the right time.

There was two other people talking over the recorded message - Was a bit of a farce at one stage, with the who i presume to be the saftey officer talking while the PA announcer was talking as well.

There was two other people talking over the recorded message - Was a bit of a farce at one stage, with the who i presume to be the saftey officer talking while the PA announcer was talking as well.

That really is poor. It is easy to arrange for the other mikes to be locked out while one is being used - even the most basic airports manage this. If that is beyond the capability of the stadium, then one bloke has the mike and the others report to him by a walkie-talkie system for him to relay the information to the fans.

That really is poor. It is easy to arrange for the other mikes to be locked out while one is being used - even the most basic airports manage this. If that is beyond the capability of the stadium, then one bloke has the mike and the others report to him by a walkie-talkie system for him to relay the information to the fans.

Rocket science it isn't!

Yep, pretty poor, I wonder if the confusion was due to it being an RFL staged event and there being different announcers etc. although either way, there should bee set processes in place.

Interestingly the Warrington Guardian has stated that the fire was started intentionally:

Four more posts deleted, two causing trouble and two innocent replies from others.

Enough. Can people simply not get that we've gone way beyond tolerance on members of this board singling out individual clubs for their fans' behaviour?

This is a very public warning to the forum at large. We've had to spend far too much time moderating seven separate threads and giving three posters short suspensions over this one subject, we are not that bothered if we have to suspend even more regardless of how many posts they've made or what level of tolerance we've shown in the past.

It is a valid subject for discussion but it needs to get to a higher level than the tribal drivel that we've seen over the last day and a half.

Edit: four suspensions now that I've had time to think about it.

Arguing with the forum trolls is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter how good you are, the bird will **** on the board and strut around like it won anyway

I hope the Fev Club and fans try and help the Police find this thug. The game and Featherstone do not need thugs like this connected to them. #### (The Person not Fev fans) like this need to be caught. As I understand the Police do have a couple of leads, but any more help is appreciated obviously-even the slightest information. The Police number is 08454580000 or crimestoppers on 0800555111.

It personally really sickens and hurts me more than normal, as I know Dave and his parents since 20 years. Dave is a decent guy, who is not one for getting drunk or acting like an idiot-like a number of fans from both sides were sadly on Sunday. He is around 5 foot 7 and 10 stone and probably somebody thought "Easy target" as was not in a group as such. He travelled on one Supporters Bus and his elderly parents in their 70s, on another supporters Bus.

I had hoped the RFL would make a Statement about not just this awful vicious incident, but the whole day which saw a number of nasty incidents from fans of both sides, in various ways both in and around the Stadium. I had hoped the RFL would have announced that they would conduct a review of the whole day and what happened and what improvements can be made. I also feel the Police and all clubs and Warrington Stadium officials should be involved.

Maybe alcohol should not be served in the stadium or people who are drunk and abusive not allowed in the stadium. Shutting of Pubs within 1 mile of a stadium. It seems most of the problems are alcohol related. Sadly a number of idiots have ruined the day for many others. And one thug has ruined the life of a decent guy who went simply to watch Fax. To say I am so disillussioned with the way things happened and how it has been handled afterwards is an understatement. I personally will never visit Featherstone again sadly because of what happened to Dave but also the general atmosphere between the sets of fans on the day. I expect a lot of tension in the next few years when the teams play. That does not make me want to go and watch Rugby with that type of atmosphere around. Maybe some Fev fans feel the same about visiting fax in future. What should have been a great day out for fans of various clubs, not just Fax, Fev, Oldham, York, Warrington Wizards and Underbank has been turned in to one of the saddest and worst days in the history of our game.

I hope the Fev Club and fans try and help the Police find this thug. The game and Featherstone do not need thugs like this connected to them. #### (The Person not Fev fans) like this need to be caught. As I understand the Police do have a couple of leads, but any more help is appreciated obviously-even the slightest information. The Police number is 08454580000 or crimestoppers on 0800555111.

It personally really sickens and hurts me more than normal, as I know Dave and his parents since 20 years. Dave is a decent guy, who is not one for getting drunk or acting like an idiot-like a number of fans from both sides were sadly on Sunday. He is around 5 foot 7 and 10 stone and probably somebody thought "Easy target" as was not in a group as such. He travelled on one Supporters Bus and his elderly parents in their 70s, on another supporters Bus.

I had hoped the RFL would make a Statement about not just this awful vicious incident, but the whole day which saw a number of nasty incidents from fans of both sides, in various ways both in and around the Stadium. I had hoped the RFL would have announced that they would conduct a review of the whole day and what happened and what improvements can be made. I also feel the Police and all clubs and Warrington Stadium officials should be involved.

Maybe alcohol should not be served in the stadium or people who are drunk and abusive not allowed in the stadium. Shutting of Pubs within 1 mile of a stadium. It seems most of the problems are alcohol related. Sadly a number of idiots have ruined the day for many others. And one thug has ruined the life of a decent guy who went simply to watch Fax. To say I am so disillussioned with the way things happened and how it has been handled afterwards is an understatement. I personally will never visit Featherstone again sadly because of what happened to Dave but also the general atmosphere between the sets of fans on the day. I expect a lot of tension in the next few years when the teams play. That does not make me want to go and watch Rugby with that type of atmosphere around. Maybe some Fev fans feel the same about visiting fax in future. What should have been a great day out for fans of various clubs, not just Fax, Fev, Oldham, York, Warrington Wizards and Underbank has been turned in to one of the saddest and worst days in the history of our game.

What a shameful act. I wonder if the coward(s) who did this ever stepped onto a rugby field? It has to be said this incident isn't a true reflection of the majority of Featherstone supporters, but they will be tarred with it nonetheless in some quarters. Somebody will know the culprit(s): I hope anyone with the reputation of Featherstone Rovers RLFC at heart, and a measure of plain human decency, will report the person(s) to the police.

I hope the Fev Club and fans try and help the Police find this thug. The game and Featherstone do not need thugs like this connected to them. #### (The Person not Fev fans) like this need to be caught. As I understand the Police do have a couple of leads, but any more help is appreciated obviously-even the slightest information. The Police number is 08454580000 or crimestoppers on 0800555111.

It personally really sickens and hurts me more than normal, as I know Dave and his parents since 20 years. Dave is a decent guy, who is not one for getting drunk or acting like an idiot-like a number of fans from both sides were sadly on Sunday. He is around 5 foot 7 and 10 stone and probably somebody thought "Easy target" as was not in a group as such. He travelled on one Supporters Bus and his elderly parents in their 70s, on another supporters Bus.

I had hoped the RFL would make a Statement about not just this awful vicious incident, but the whole day which saw a number of nasty incidents from fans of both sides, in various ways both in and around the Stadium. I had hoped the RFL would have announced that they would conduct a review of the whole day and what happened and what improvements can be made. I also feel the Police and all clubs and Warrington Stadium officials should be involved.

Maybe alcohol should not be served in the stadium or people who are drunk and abusive not allowed in the stadium. Shutting of Pubs within 1 mile of a stadium. It seems most of the problems are alcohol related. Sadly a number of idiots have ruined the day for many others. And one thug has ruined the life of a decent guy who went simply to watch Fax. To say I am so disillussioned with the way things happened and how it has been handled afterwards is an understatement. I personally will never visit Featherstone again sadly because of what happened to Dave but also the general atmosphere between the sets of fans on the day. I expect a lot of tension in the next few years when the teams play. That does not make me want to go and watch Rugby with that type of atmosphere around. Maybe some Fev fans feel the same about visiting fax in future. What should have been a great day out for fans of various clubs, not just Fax, Fev, Oldham, York, Warrington Wizards and Underbank has been turned in to one of the saddest and worst days in the history of our game.

Very eloquently put LRL, though I bet they're words you never thought you'd have to write regarding a Rugby League match, and they're words I never thought I'd read about a game of Rugby League neither.

Sadly I suspect they won't be the last unless those that have the power to act, do so and do so quickly.

As I understand the Police do have a couple of leads, but any more help is appreciated obviously-even the slightest information. The Police number is 08454580000 or crimestoppers on 0800555111.

A good point at which to close this down now, I think. Enough of the blame game before anyone else says anything they might live to regret. If you have any information about this incident, pass it onto the police and let them deal with it.